


Two Sides of a Coin

by Storiesofheroes



Series: LeoSaku Week 2016 [4]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: F/M, Invisible Kingdom | Revelation Route, LeoSaku Week 2016
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-21
Updated: 2016-12-21
Packaged: 2018-09-10 23:44:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8944123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Storiesofheroes/pseuds/Storiesofheroes
Summary: There are many different kinds of magic.
[LeoSaku Week: Magic/Nature]





	

Magic can do many different things, and isn't only limited to one form. There's the kind that can cause harm, and meant to be used in battles, and there's also healing magic, helping the injured recover from their wounds. Some would say the latter even helps soothe the spirit, instead of simply the body, but there has been no solid proof of that. There are even more kinds of magic than just those two, of course, like the mysterious ability to foresee the future that Orochi possesses. 

Sakura herself prefers healing magic. She hated seeing others in pain, and wished to do what she could to soothe their pain. It's why, one day, after a certain incident, she decided to become a shrine maiden.

The incident was finding Kazahana, her closest friend and newly appointed retainer, terribly injured and gasping for breath. Sakura immediately called for the healer to be brought over, and she soon came and helped Kazahana, but every moment of seeing her best friend in such pain was like hell to her.

She asked Kazahana what had happened, but she would just laugh it off, saying she accidentally hurt herself. It was only after Sakura pressed her that Kazahana admitted she was attacked by an assassin who was after Sakura. 

To see her best friend so badly injured was terrible, to know she was to blame was even worse. She immediately knew then that she had to become a shrine maiden. If Kazahana had to defend her, perhaps even at the risk of her own life, then the least Sakura could do is try and keep her alive.

Her older siblings were apprehensive at first, worried that this would mean she might risk her life in battle one day. All but Aqua, who smiled when Sakura has told her of her decision, and encouraged her. 

"You always had a kind and selfless heart," Aqua said, squeezing her hand reassuringly. "And you're braver than most would give you credit for. If this is what you wish, then I support you."

Overwhelmed with happiness, Sakura hugged Aqua. She dearly loved her sister, and it was a shame others couldn't see how kind and gentle she really was.

Mikoto also accepted the idea, and so Sakura began her training with the other shrine maidens. She was to be treated like a regular girl, the same as the other trainees, and not like a princess.

Well, that was how it was supposed to be, but simply saying that didn't change the fact that people still viewed and treated her as royalty.

On her first day, when she was introduced to the other girls, she noticed some of them exchanging excited whispers, though she couldn't make out what they were saying. Later that day, none of the other girls spoke to her, but they frequently glanced her way and talked about her.

It felt almost isolating, and she dearly missed Kazahana's company, but she needed to finish her training. She would take her first lesson the next day, and when she was done, she can go back to the castle, to be with her siblings and retainers again.

The next day took too long to come if you asked her, but it came nonetheless. The priestess gave her a rod, and instructed her on how to use it. She couldn't try it on others yet, as she needed to learn to use it first, otherwise she'd only be wasting their time. She told her to be calm and serene, and to try and channel her magical energy into the rod.

To be honest, Sakura wasn't entirely sure what that meant, but she went along with it. It was difficult, when she felt so anxious in the presence of others, but when she closed her eyes and pretended to be alone, she felt something akin to serenity and peace.

What surprised her, though, was the magic flowing through her. Orochi once told her everyone has some innate magical energy, though it varied in strength between one person and the other. You couldn't really feel it unless you tried to, and even then, you would typically need a scroll or a rod to help enhance it.

How it felt also varied. Orochi said that for her, it felt almost like a burning sensation, but not unpleasant. Sakura didn't understand how burning can ever not be unpleasant, but she knew Orochi often said falsehoods to mess with others, so she didn't really believe her then. She certainly does now that she can feel it for herself. It didn't feel like a burn to her, though. For Sakura, it felt more like a shock going through her body.

Taking a deep breath, and holding her rod tighter, Sakura tried to direct all of her magical energy into her rod. She then opened her eyes, to find her rod glowing, and the priestess looking rather shocked.

The shock faded, though, to be replaced with a smile. "It seems you're a natural, Sakura."

Sakura beamed at the priestess' praise, though she had to admit, she still wasn't used to being only referred to by her name. It wasn't bad, though, and she might even prefer it.

And so Sakura continued her training as a shrine maiden. During her training, she was often requested specifically by patients. She believed it was due to her title as a princess of Hoshido, but it really was due to her excellence with magic, and soothing presence, which may have been even more effective in curing others than the actual magic.

Once, she travelled to the borders of Hoshido, to the villages that Nohrian bandits frequently attacked and raided. This was just after another one of those attacks.

She was horrified by the sight she saw, and so were the two girls who came with her, but the priestess had no reaction, as if this was normal to her. Sakura realized it may very well have been.

She saw several dead bodies, but most were thankfully only injured. She saw a man who was gasping for breath, and rushed over to help him. She did her best, but for the first time, she couldn't save him. She saw him take his last breath, and his body drop, still and lifeless. She never felt so helpless.

The war came, and it was worse than anything she could've imagined. Kamui made his decision; he wasn't betraying anyone, though both sides took it as betraying them in favor of the other side.

Sakura helped heal the injured soldiers and stayed with Yukimura, until Kamui came. She joined him, as something in her heart told her he was saying that the truth, even if he barely said anything of value.

When she joined Kamui, she may have had fewer soldiers to heal, but they often had to go against many enemies by themselves, and got terribly injured. She and Felicia, whom she became good friends with, would rush in to heal their wounds, and she couldn't count the amount of times she thought one of them would die before she could save them.

The war was exhausting her, both body and soul. She rarely had a moment of rest, and when she'd go to sleep at night, she more or less collapsed from exhaustion. 

If she was honest, a part of her sometimes wondered why she was even doing all of this. She was a princess, and didn't need to participate at all. But she'd brush off those thoughts quickly. She chose to do this, to save the life of others and ease their pain. She couldn't give up just because it was becoming difficult, not now when others needed her more than ever.

In Izumo, Sakura was held hostage by a dark mage who specialized in illusion. Zola was his name, and he worked for Nohr and Kinf Garon. She was almost certain she'd die then, until vines and trees came from the ground, wrapping around Zola and impaling him, but miraculously leaving her unharmed.

The person who cast that spell was Prince Leon. Kamui brightened up at seeing him, but Sakura was much more conflicted on how to regard him. She couldn't say she admired anyone who'd kill someone on their side so easily, yet something about that spell captivated her. It was magic, so different from the one she used, but at the same time, it was so alike too.

She was so lost in her thoughts, she missed most of the conversation between him and Kamui, and only snapped out once she saw him leave. She still didn't know how to feel about him, but his magic certainly intrigued her.

When Princess Elise came, Sakura had to admit she was surprised by her. At first, she thought Elise was rather sweet, but her cheerfulness could be too much for Sakura, and she seemed childish.

Yet, when healing their soldiers, Elise moved with practiced ease, and even the worst of injuries didn't phase her. It occurred to Sakura that Elise must've been used to this, much more so than Sakura was.

Soon after Elise joined, so did Ryouma and Hinoka, and then Prince Marx and Prince Leon. This meant that both Hoshido and Nohr was now united under Kamui.

She was glad to see both her older siblings, but the two princes of Nohr unnerved her. She'd rather avoid them, if she could, especially Prince Leon, considering the incident with Zola. She knew he saved her life, and she was grateful for that, but his coldness that day startled her.

Sakura tried to explain that to Camilla and Elise, who were both insistent on all members of the royal family getting along, but they didn't really listen. Elise said they were much nicer than they seemed, while Camilla explained that in Nohr, one has to pretend to be cold and ruthless, for only the strong survive. Sakura couldn't accept that, though.

But it seemed fate had other plans for her. While walking through the fields, she saw Prince Leon at the fields, clutching his tome, Brynhildr. She couldn't see what he was doing, until she got closer.

He was using his tome to help grow crops. Tomatoes, specifically, which are his favorite, a well-known fact in the army. She couldn't understand why he was doing that, until she recalled a conversation she had with Camilla once.

"The weather conditions in Nohr aren't exactly ideal for crops. We frequently suffer from food shortages."

Perhaps he was too used to Nohr, or he was doing this as a way of remembering Nohr. She never really knew much about Nohr, or what it's people suffered through. All she heard was that they were cold and glory-seeking, motivated only by pleasure and self-gain. She could see now that the rumors were false.

She observed Brynhildr's magic once again. It was certainly beautiful, even more now that Prince Leon was trying to use it to harvest crops, rather than defeat his enemies.

She looked at Prince Leon again, and thought of Camilla's words. She tried to picture Prince Leon as a young boy, hiding behind a cold exterior so he wouldn't be seen as weak. Picking up magic because it made him feel useful, because it earned him praise for his natural talent with it.

Suddenly, he seemed more human to her. She thought maybe they weren't so different. She picked up healing magic, to save the lives of others, to ease their pain, and to be useful. He picked up lethal magic to prove himself, to earn praise, and to be useful.

Quietly, she walked to his side, and gently asked, "can I help you?"

**Author's Note:**

> Here is today's prompt! I hope you enjoyed it. I didn't know what to put in the title, so if it seems unfitting, that's why.


End file.
